DeRay Mckesson

DeRay Mckesson (born July 9, 1985) is an American civil rights activist, podcaster, and former school administrator. He gained prominence as an early supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement and has been actively involved in protests in Ferguson, Missouri, and Baltimore, Maryland. Mckesson is known for his influential presence on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram. He has contributed as a writer to HuffPost and The Guardian. Mckesson co-founded Campaign Zero, a policy platform aimed at ending police violence, alongside Johnetta Elzie, Brittany Packnett, and Samuel Sinyangwe. Currently, he is part of Crooked Media and hosts the podcast Pod Save the People. Additionally, Mckesson ran for the 2016 Baltimore mayoral election. He is also the author of the memoir, On the Other Side of Freedom: The Case for Hope.